Party on!

... and on... and on!

This is the birthday that just won't quit. Not that I'm complaining. Being the center of attention is usally just not my thing, but I have to say that this birthday has been so much fun!

Richard and Julie hosted a FANTASTIC cookout for my 60th birthday and everyone came! AND Julie made (yes... baked it with her own two precious hands) a pineapple upside down cake for me. I was in shock!!! Imagine! Baking a pineapple upside down cake for ME. She made me cry. What a generous thing to do! AND the cake was GREAT!!!

We had a "regular" birthday cake, too - Bryce and Matthew helped me blow out the candles. And they did a terrific job!! Thankfully, Julie had the numbers "6" and "0". I think if I saw 60 candles on that cake (or maybe we'd have needed a bigger cake), I'd have been depressed for a month!

The guys played Bocce out front for a while. It was fun to sit on the porch and watch. The kids are getting SO big!

Michael and I don't really have a grill, so a cookout is a special treat for us! Burned hot dogs! Wow! We had corn-on-the-cob, munchies, burgers, hot dogs, great cole slaw, caaaaaaaake - so much! And everything was great!

There were decorations all over the living room and dining room - birthday balloons - foil "60"s hanging in the archway between the living room and dining room. Julie went to so much trouble. It's hard to express how much it means to me. I hope she knows.

It was an almost perfect afternoon! The only thing that kept it from being perfect was Matthew's fall into a rose bush out front. The thorns ripped his pants and poked into his chest and legs and arms - pretty frightening for a 4-year-old. In the end, he was okay, but it was hard to see him hurt and so upset.

Scott, Crystal and Bryce gave me a beautiful bouquet of HUGE flower cookies in a tin. Creative, as usual! Not only were they beautiful - they tasted YUMMY!!!!

Julie and Richard (and Kate and Molly) gave me a great Vera Bradley bag - perfect size and RED!!!!!

My father came and brought a rock tumbler, which caused some laughter, but I was delighted to get it! Michael and I will be tumbling "stuff" soon, for sure! He also gave me a $50 gift certificate for Barnes and Noble, which I will use SOON!

And this is not the end! Greg and Scott (and families) are taking me to the beach in October for a special 60th birthday treat! I'm hoping the weather is good!! The wind, the ocean - my favorite place to be. SO special!

This has been a birthday that I'll never forget!

Thank you all SOOOOO much!